The Ultimate Edible Indoor Garden Guide

Note: this is a work in progress, and it will be updated regularly.

Introduction

The objective of this guide is to help and guide you to successfully create your own fully edible, near-closed-loop Edible Indoor Garden using techniques that range from hydroponics and vertical stacks, to microgreens and algae thanks: plant potatoes, seeds, legumes, leafy green, mushrooms and much more fully indoors.

The objective: this guide started as a journal for my own Edible Indoor Garden project. Eventually, as I gained more practical experience, researched the different topics involved and successfully managed to create my garden, the journal turned into an information dense and extremely useful reference and technical guide, which now I’m sharing with you.

Note: for a reference guide about non-edible Indoor Plants see: The Indoor Plants Reference Guide – An Easy to Follow Guide

Index

The following is an index to the different sections of this guide. Use these links to navigate the guide.

Section 1: What to Plant and Grow – A reference guide to the many different things you can plant in your Edible Indoor Garden, their dietary purposes, growth methods and yields.
Section 2: Indoor Planting Methods and Technologies – a guide to the different indoor planting technologies, methods and techniques.
Section 3: Indoor Planting Guide – A guide about how to plant different food sources indoors, the methods, technologies and times.

Vitamins, Minerals, and Key Nutrients

In order to make a better use of this indoor gardening guide, you can also learn about vitamins, essential minerals, electrolytes and key nutrients following our Nutrition Reference Sheets series:

What to Plant and Grow

Quick Reference Table

Component	Nutrient Focus	Grow Method
Potatoes	Carbs, fiber, B6	Raised beds
Sprouts	C, K, A, folate	Jars or trays
Microgreens	Vitamin and antioxidant-rich greens (vitamins A, C, K, etc.)	Hydroponic trays.
Beet greens	A, K, magnesium	Vertical beds
Garlic, Onions	Immune support, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Potassium, Folate (B9)	Soil jars
Mushrooms	D, B-vitamins, fiber, protein, minerals	Log bags, crates
Herbs	C, K, minor nutrients	Pots/trays
Flax/Chia	Omega-3, magnesium	Soil bed or bin
Spirulina	Protein (up to 60–70% protein by weight)	Algae growth tank.

This combo gives you a near-complete nutrient profile.

Main Nutritional Sources

The following are a list of the most efficient food items you can grow in your Edible Indoor Garden based on a formula that takes the nutritive values, the yields, the time and effort needed, and the space required. In short, if you want to maximize the nutritional yield of your indoor garden, these are the items you need to prioritize:

Potatoes

What to Plant: white & sweet potato varieties.
Role in Diet: Calorie-dense staple (carbohydrates, some protein & Vitamin C); stored or processed into various forms.
Growth Method: Hydroponic or container soil; moderate light; long photoperiod.
Cycle & Yield (per m²): ~20 kg fresh tubers per m² every ~5 months (continuous staggered planting). High yield with multiple annual harvests (up to ~50,000 kcal/m²/year)

See the Potatoes Planting Section for more in-depth information.

Mushrooms

What to Plant: oyster, shiitake
Role in Diet: Protein and micronutrient source; D-vitamins (if UV exposed), B-vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein; adds umami flavor; grown on waste biomass.
Growth Method: Dark, humid chambers; on compostde plant waste or straw; stacked bag culture.
Cycle & Yield (per m²): ~25–30 kg fresh mushrooms per m²/year (with vertical shelving). Fast growth (flushes every few weeks).

See the Planting Guide section for more information about how to plant potatoes indoor.

Microgreens

What to Plant: Radish, broccoli, pea shoots, etc.
Role in Diet: Vitamin and antioxidant-rich greens (vitamins A, C, K, etc.); high nutrient density (up to 9–40× higher than mature plants); eaten fresh for salads, garnishes.
Growth Method: Multi-tier hydroponic trays under LED lights; grown in 7–14 days from seed.
Cycle & Yield (per m²): ~0.2–0.3 kg microgreens per m² per harvest (10-day cycle), ~5–7 kg/m²/year (per tier). With 5-tier racks, ~25–35 kg/m²/year. Low calories but crucial micronutrients.

See the Planting Guide section for more information about how to plant potatoes indoor.

Algae Culture

Tanks or bioreactors with spirulina (edible blue-green algae) are incorporated for an extra boost of protein (up to 60–70% protein by weight) and essential fatty acids. Spirulina grows rapidly in water with dissolved nutrients and light; yields can reach ~10 g dry per m² per day (~3–4 kg/m²/year dry biomass). The harvested algae can be dried into protein powder or formed into cakes/paste and even contribute vitamin B12 (spirulina and certain mushrooms are among the few non-animal B12 sources).

What to Grow: spirulina
Role in Diet: Incorporated for an extra boost of protein (up to 60–70% protein by weight) and essential fatty acids.
Growth Method: Tanks or bioreactors with spirulina (edible blue-green algae)
Cycle & Yield (per m²): Spirulina grows rapidly in water with dissolved nutrients and light; yields can reach ~10 g dry per m² per day (~3–4 kg/m²/year dry biomass). The harvested algae can be dried into protein powder or formed into cakes/paste and even contribute vitamin B12 (spirulina and certain mushrooms are among the few non-animal B12 sources).

Alternative / Additional Items

These items are considered alternative or additional, they aren’t as efficient as the previous ones mentioned, but they add a lot of variety, vitamins and anti-oxidants to your diet.

Legumes & Oilseeds

A patch of peanuts or soybeans provides essential fats and additional protein. These crops can be grown in rotation with potatoes in soil beds or separate hydroponic tubs. Expected yield from 100 m² of peanuts is on the order of 30 kg of nuts (containing ~15 kg oil and ~8 kg protein). While lower yielding in calories than tubers, this is critical for dietary fat (peanuts are ~50% oil) and for nutrient diversity (vitamin E, magnesium, etc.).

What to Plant: Peanuts, soybeans
Role in Diet: While lower yielding in calories than tubers, this is critical for dietary fat (peanuts are ~50% oil) and for nutrient diversity (vitamin E, magnesium, etc.). A patch of peanuts or soybeans provides essential fats and additional protein.
Growth Method: These crops can be grown in rotation with potatoes in soil beds or separate hydroponic tubs.
Cycle & Yield (per m²): Expected yield from 100 m² of peanuts is on the order of 30 kg of nuts (containing ~15 kg oil and ~8 kg protein).

Leafy Greens & Herbs

In addition to microgreens, some crops will be grown to a slightly larger stage (e.g. lettuce, kale, basil, cilantro in hydroponic towers or NFT channels) for culinary variety. These have quick turnover and moderate yield, and their presence aids morale by providing fresh flavors and textures.

Note: In addition to microgreens, some crops will be grown to a slightly larger stage for culinary variety.
What to Plant: lettuce, kale, basil, cilantro
Role in Diet:
Growth Method: hydroponic towers or NFT channels
Cycle & Yield (per m²): These have quick turnover and moderate yield, and their presence aids morale by providing fresh flavors and textures.

Sprouts

Seeds like mung beans, lentils, and wheat can be sprouted in jars every few days. Sprouts require no soil or light (just moisture) and provide crunchy fresh vegetables rich in vitamin C and enzymes to complement microgreens. This is a low-tech, low-space addition to the diet.

What to Plant: Seeds like mung beans, lentils, and wheat
Role in Diet: Provide crunchy fresh vegetables rich in vitamin C and enzymes to complement microgreens.
Growth Method: Can be sprouted in jars every few days. Sprouts require no soil or light (just moisture). This is a low-tech, low-space addition to the diet.
Cycle & Yield (per m²):

Allium

What to Plant: Garlic, onions, scallions
Role in Diet: Provide variety, Immune support, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Potassium, Folate (B9)
Growth Method: can be grown at small scale in jars, or at medium scale in stacked half-barrels using relatively a small amount of soil. Rooting can be performed previously to planting by leaving the garlic and onions in recipients with water.
Cycle & Yield (per m²):
- Onions: From seed to full bulb: ~100–140 days (varies by cultivar and daylength); From sets (pre-grown small bulbs): ~60–90 days / Yield: Bulb onions (intensive, high-density spacing): ~3–5 kg/m²/year (single harvest) [Best-case under high light and CO₂ could push it closer to 6 kg/m²]. Green onions (multiple harvests): ~6–10 kg/m²/year (assuming regrowth or rotational sowing every ~35–40 days)
- Scallions: ~30–40 days for harvestable greens. Can be cut multiple times from the same base (but regrowth slows over time).
- Garlic: From clove to full bulb: ~180–210 days (6–7 months) Garlic is slow, but it stores very well post-harvest (8–12 months if cured and kept cool/dry). Garlic greens (garlic chives): ~30–50 days for tops; can be cut 3–4 times before replanting needed. / Bulb garlic: ~2–4 kg/m²/year (typically one crop/year unless using accelerated growth techniques) Each plant yields one bulb; ~25–35 plants/m² is common for high-density small-clove garlic. Garlic greens: ~4–8 kg/m²/year if grown in short rotations and harvested for leaf tops.

Fruits & Other Veggies

I think I don’t need to mention that space is specially limited for fruiting trees when planting indoors, but fast fruiting plants like dwarf tomato vines, chili peppers, or strawberries can be trellised along walls or in small hydroponic units as “luxury” crops. They improve diet palatability and provide vitamins (like vitamin C in peppers/berries). These will not be staples, but a few dozen square meters allocated here can yield modest fruit treats (e.g. cherry tomatoes or berries year-round).

What to Plant: Cherry tomatoes or berries year-round
Role in Diet: They improve diet palatability and provide vitamins (like vitamin C in peppers/berries). These will not be staples, but a few dozen square meters allocated here can yield modest fruit treats
Growth Method: Space is limited for fruiting trees, but fast fruiting plants like dwarf tomato vines, chili peppers, or strawberries can be trellised along walls or in small hydroponic units as “luxury” crops.
Cycle & Yield (per m²):

Indoor Planting Methods and Technologies

This section contains a guide to the different technologies and methods used in indoor planting. Since adding these directly into this article would make the article way too long, we’ve decided to split them in sub-articles in order to keep the guide’s navigation easier:

Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) Hydroponics for Home Gardeners: A Complete Guide.
- This guide will teach you how to build your first NFT Hydroponics setup at relatively low cost and effort.

Indoor Planting Guide

Planting Potatoes

Potatoes were the caloric backbone of several cultures and human settlements through history for a very good reason. They are a proven staple for closed habitats – rich in carbohydrates and providing significant protein with a good amino acid profile. The plan uses both white potatoes and sweet potatoes (sweet potatoes add beta-carotene for Vitamin A). Key features of the potato cultivation system:

Note: you’ll see NASA mentioned a lot in the following section, and that’s because NASA did a ton of research regarding growing potatoes in indoor environments, since they’re an excellent nutritional source for future space colonies in enclosed environments.

Hydroponic Cultivation:

Potatoes will be grown in a nutrient film technique (NFT) or drip-irrigation hydroponic system with a shallow inert medium (e.g. coarse vermiculite or wood-fiber substrate). Research shows hydroponic methods can triple tuber yields compared to soil farming. Each potato plant is started from a disease-free seed tuber or stem cutting and grown under optimal conditions (CO₂-enriched air, precise nutrients, no pests).

Nutrient Film Technique hydroponic growing.

Environmental Conditions:

Following NASA test protocols, potato chambers are kept around ~22°C days/14°C nights, ~85% relative humidity, and high light intensity ~400 µmol/m²·s for 16–24 hours photoperiod. This maximizes photosynthesis and tuber formation. Long day/continuous lighting is used to speed growth (potatoes can yield well under continuous light given proper temperatures.

Yield and Harvesting:

With intensive hydroponics, continuous potato production is achieved by staggered planting. Rather than one big harvest, a section is harvested each week once the system is at full capacity. NASA trials achieved ~37.5 g dry tuber per m² per day (≈139 kcal/m²/day) in steady-state. This equates to roughly 21–22 kg of fresh potatoes per m² over ~5 months (one crop cycle). Our design aims for ~2 harvests per year per plot, yielding ~40+ kg/m²/year. In total, 1,000 m² devoted to potatoes could produce on the order of 40,000 kg of potatoes per year (~136 million kcal), enough to supply the bulk calories for ~150 people. Potatoes are extremely space-efficient under these conditions – they can produce roughly twice the edible food per unit light compared to grain crops.

Cultivars and Management:

Fast-maturing, high-yield potato varieties (such as Norland red or other high-tuber-count types) will be used, as well as orange-fleshed sweet potato cultivars from NASA research. Plants are grown in troughs or large tubs with nutrient solution flowing through. As tubers develop, they form above the root zone in the aerated substrate – a black plastic film covers the media to block light (preventing tuber greening).

Processing & Storage:

Potatoes are versatile for processing. They can be eaten fresh (boiled, baked), or dehydrated into potato flakes/flour for long-term storage (dried potato can last >5 years if sealed). Up to 6 months storage is possible for fresh tubers in a cool, dark, ventilated storage room (the settlement can designate an insulated cellar space for this). This allows buffering of any production variability. Potatoes require minimal processing and their proteins are high-quality, with a good balance of essential amino acids (supporting the diet’s protein needs along with other sources).